The Wammy Boys' Kitten
by Bittersweet Alchemist
Summary: Kitty Jones, alias Kitkat, is totally average other than her cattish antics! She's not even an orphan! So why the heck is she at Wammy's House, where the candidates to replace L are raised! Unless they want a singing, dancing cat-girl with a communication imparment and a nose for trouble, they got the wrong girl here! Nyaaaaaaaaaa ! Why is life so unfaaaaiir ? Rated T for cussing
1. Newcomer At Wammy's

I scuffed my foot against the ground, still nervous...

Yet at the same time, I was excited and confused.

I'd just been picked up by a place called 'Wammy's House.' They were an orphanage for mentally gifted children, as candidates to replace L.

'Cept I wasn't mentally gifted... Nor was I an orphan. My parents were just jerks who were always in jail, and I found it hard to maintain a B-average in school. So unless they needed someone who could imitate a cat perfectly, sing in any pitch slash change her voice, dance, was good with her hands, could climb just about any surface, run almost ten miles per hour, and sneak up on an army of ninjas...

I wasn't what they wanted. I mean, a B-average in school, a problem with talking to people I've never met before, a bad memory when it came to names, and a nasty tendency to start fights.

My name is Kitty Jones. I have long blonde hair that I wear in two pony-tails on the back of my head, fair skin, and brown eyes. I wear a black tube-top, a black back-pack, black shorts with a long belt that sometimes seems like a tail, a black collar, a black head-band that looks like cat-ears, and black boots that rise just above my ankles and have a pink paw-print on the bottoms.

The old man at the desk before me was looking something in a file-folder over... I craned my neck, trying to see what it was... There was a picture of me, so it had to be my bio or something...

I stopped trying to see, instead trying to recall this guy's name... I knew he'd told it to me a few times now, and I didn't want to ask him again...

Roderick? Ronald? It had and R and an O at the beginning...

Roger, that was it! Roger!

I swallowed nervously. I was nervous... Very nervous...

"Okay... Ms. Jones, here we do not tell others our names."

My head whipped up so I could stare. "You don't? Then what do you call each other?" I felt stupid for asking that question the second it'd left my mouth.

"Aliases. You can pick yours, but don't tell anyone your real name."

He paused, and with a start, I realized he was waiting for me to pick a name.

"Kitkat." I blurted at random. It was close to Kitty, so I should be able to learn and respond quickly...

Roger nodded, making note of that in my file. "Please follow me." he ordered, standing up and leaving the room. I scurried after him.

"Where are we going now...?" I asked quietly, uncomfortably aware of the other children staring at me as we walked past.

"You'll be staying with Near." he said shortly.

Near? That was an interesting alias... I wondered what he'd be like... Oh gosh, I hoped he was quiet! All I needed now, was a talkative guy who'd make me splutter and stammer my way to an early grave!

"Here we are."

I pulled up short, almost running into Roger as he stopped. He frowned a little, but knocked and opened the door. "Near?"

"What is it, Roger?"

I peered into the room from around Roger. The floor was littered with toys, in the middle of it all a small boy... Oh, no... What if he asked me to play with him...?!

"This is Kitkat, your new roommate."

"Uh... hi..." I mumbled, feeling my cheeks color a little bit.

Near looked at me blankly... No, there seemed to be a trace of exasperation in his eyes... At least it didn't seem like he'd like to talk to me...

"Very well. Nice to meet you." he said curtly.

"Y-yeah... you too..." I gulped, suddenly realizing Roger had left.

"Close the door, please."

"S-sorry... Y-yes..." I obeyed, then looked back to him. He was rearranging some toy-soldiers, as if ignoring me. I was fine with that... I'd just pick out a corner to call my own...

"The bed on the left is unoccupied." he said as I curled up in the corner to the left of the door.

"N-no, th-that's fine... I-I'm used to sleep-sleeping on the floor... I-I'm kinda scared t-to sleep on a bed..." I mumbled.

He didn't respond, and that was fine by me... I was still blushing. That was the straightest I'd ever talked to someone that I'd never met before! I had to bask in that triumph for a little!

Sighing, I sat up and took off my backpack, fishing out a thick notebook, a sketchbook, and a pencil.

The sketchbook was full of pictures of a cat. A white cat with sections of black and yellow eyes. There were many different styles of this cat. One looked very realistic. Another looked a bit more humanoid. A third looked like some anime-punk cat. The fourth was like an angel.

These were all designs for one character. The character of a story I was working on.

'Black Star's Gift' was a story that I had once dreamed of getting published and becoming famous for. But that was impossible now. Now I don't even exist anymore. So now it's just a folly-project...

I paused, tapping my pencil against my head for a moment...

My main character had just met Black Star and his owner... Where did I go from here...?

I looked up at Near. He was still playing with his toys. Okay... No inspiration there... Sighing, I stood up, put my pencil in my ear, and, still holding my notebook, stepped carefully over Near's little armies and buildings towards the door. "Where're you going?"

Eep! That was sudden! I'd almost knocked over the little skyscraper there...! "No-nowhere in particular... Just-just exploring... S-since I'm new 'n' all..." I mumbled into my chest.

No response. I guess he was okay with it... So I opened the door a crack, squeezed out, and shut it behind me.

I was going to explore... A little.

I was going to find a tree to hide in until my face didn't look like a distant cousin of the beet.


	2. Embarrassment

**Mello**

"I hear the new girl is staying with Near."

He looked up at Matt. "You chose to mention this now because...?" he asked, a hint of a growl in his voice.

Matt shrugged, continuing to play his game. He growled, shaking his head.

"'Scuse me!"

There was a flash of black as someone streaked past. He whirled around to watch them.

"Woah!" he gasped, seeing the fabled new girl run right on past everyone up to the huge tree that was growing not too far away. But she didn't stop at the base. Instead, she sprang up halfway up the trunk and began climbing. "That was incredible!"

He'd only caught a glimpse of her as she'd run past, and she'd been climbing quickly too... But he'd see long blonde hair, what had looked like a tail, and a back-pack.

"That was weird." Apparently Matt had seen her run past too, as he now commented on it.

"Why was she running like that?" he said curiously, tempted to join the people gaping up into the branches. But as he watched, some of the leaves rustled... She must've been moving to a less visible branch. Then something struck him. She'd been wearing cat-ears. "... I wonder if she can get down."

**Kitty\Kitkat**

I'd hoped that by escaping the noise, I could stop making a fool of myself and quit blushing. But if anything, I was already the class-clown...

I felt my face turn even redder at the idea of facing anyone ever again! How embarrassing! No way!

I rolled over on my branch and buried my face in the bark...

Ow! Not a smart idea! That really hurt! I sat up sharpish, rubbing at my face. At least no one had seen that...

... Ohmigod, what if there were cameras hidden in the trees?!

"Nyaaaaa! I don't feel safe anymore! This place isn't where I belong!" I mewled, curling up... and almost falling off my branch. I squeaked in shock, scrabbling for a hand-hold. In precious little time, I found a good one. "I'll just spend my whole life in the darned tree..." I whimpered.

"That sounds uncomfortable."

"Kyaaaaaa!" I screamed, jumping up. "Wh-who...?! Wh-wh-what?! Ho-how...?! Where...?!"

Some guy was crouching before me. I could already feel my cheeks turning bright red again, and I was ready to spring into higher branches of the tree when he spoke again. "Please don't ru- er, jump away..."

I stopped, balanced on my tippy-toes, and looked back at him. He was blushing a bit too... I dunno, maybe he had a hard time talking to girls? Another commincation-impared person? Or...

... Dammit, what if he was just embarrassed to be talking to the weird girl?!

"Wh-wh-why...?" I asked.

"I... I just wanted to tell you that if you can't get down... My window is right over there. You could get down through there."

Oh... So he was risking his life just to come tell me how to get down from the tree?

"Uh... Thanks, I guess... But I can get down... I... I u-usually land f-feet first..." I stammered, tensing up to spring.

"Oh... I see. I just thought, since you have the feline apparell..."

Blargh... Why did everyone say that?! That was the first thing people thought whenever they saw me in a tree! 'Can you get down?' 'Are you sure you don't want help?' 'Should I call the fire-department?' 'Are you stuck up there?' How infuriating! Solely for the purpose of chewing him out, I sat back down in a huff.

"So what's your name?"

Crap, he was chatty...

"Uh... K-Kitkat..." I mumbled.

"I hear you're staying with Near?"

"Uh-huh..."

Too chatty... Back into your room anytime now, pal...

"That's a pity."

Huh?

"Pity? What? How?" I said in confusion.

"He's a real jerk. And he's big-headed."

"Oh... I noticed he was quiet... And h-he seemed to ignore m-me..." Wow, I could talk straighter with this guy than I could Near! "Uh... S-sorry, but I-I didn't ca-catch y-your name..." Dammit, jinxed it.

"Sorry. I'm Mello. Nice to meet you, Kitkat."

Damn, he was chatty... And he tended to look you in the eye when speaking... I couldn't do that! I was looking around frantically, trying not to blush...

"What's wrong?"

"Eeeeee!" He'd somehow scooted closer while I was casting about.

"Sorry."

"N-no... I-I... can't r-really t-talk to people... I-I've g-got a com-communication imparment..." I mumbled, turning around... But that felt rude, so I spun back.

"Well, that'd explain your running up the tree."

I blushed even more. "D-don't y-you have somep-place t-to be...?!" I squeaked. I was aiming for a nasty-sounding voice, or one that would suggest that the conversation was over... But I failed. Miserably.

Because he started to laugh.

"Kn-knock it off! You-you big jerk!" I yelled indignantly, my voice still high-pitched. That's when I figured out the problem.

"Why is your voice so funny now?" he laughed.

"Because I can change my voice at will... However, under stress, my voice will break, up or down, and stay that way until I'm not stressed enough to calm down and change it back." I growled... I sounded like a kitten on helium! How embarrassing!

"Aww, you sound like one of Matt's game-characters!" he laughed, patting my head.

"A-are you trying to make me blush?!" I demanded, swatting his hand away.

He laughed again. I huffed indignantly, jumping higher into the tree. I ignored his calls to wait, come back, he was just poking fun at me.

Right...

**Mello**

Oops. Maybe he'd pushed it a little far there.

She was different from everyone else. Maybe it was her problem with speaking? Or the way her voice had broken when she got mad at him? Whatever the reason, he liked her. Maybe it was how uncertain she was around Near, and how he could possibly use that to his advantage.

"You done out there yet?" Matt asked from the window.

"I guess..." he sighed, inching his way back to the room. "You heard?"

"You're right about her sounding like one of my game-characters."

He sighed, shaking his head. Sometimes Matt could just be so clueless...

**Kitkat**

"I'll just inch my way around here..."

I was coming down now. I'd calmed down. My face wasn't red. My voice didn't sound like Minny Mouse.

But I didn't want to see Mello again. Knowing me, I'd react badly and start my squeaking up again. Just what I needed, more bad publicity.

It was almost night-time now. Nobody was outside...

Sighing, I jumped to the next branch, which was off to the side. I wanted to sing... But what if someone heard me?

"Aw, screw that! So long as they can't see me! And I've got a nice voice!" I scolded myself.

So I sat down and took a few deep breaths. Then I began.

"Keep on dancing! Put your hands up, don't stop movin' buddy! And show me what you got, baby! Please kiss and hold me tight, and move your body right, and I don't wanna cry, 'cause talk is cheap- Let's go all night! Keep on dancing! Put your hands up, don't stop movin' buddy! You know that all bad girls want a party-junkie! Pa-pa-pa-party-junkie!... Pa-pa-pa-party! It's Friday night, let's hit the floor- I'm going crazy! 'Cause sitting home when I'm alone is doing nothing for me! I've had my time, I've had my fix- I want another! I've got this feeling, makes me sweat- that you're not like the others! Just because I need the rush of it doesn't mean I can't handle it... Slide another shot down one more time, I'm addicted, I'll make you mine! Come on tip it back 'til the world spins 'round! Got a place not far from town... Time to shut the door, kill the lights, let's go! So let's take the night and take this party home! Don't you wanna get high? Don't wanna say goodbye? Just stay with me tonight, don't need commitment- Do me right! Tell me why you're so shy? You're just my kind of guy that likes their beats hard-style- So work it for me! Please kiss and hold me tight, and move your body right, and I don't wanna cry, 'cause talk is cheap- Let's go all night! Keep on dancing! Put your hands up, don't stop movin' buddy! You know that all bad girls want a party-junkie! It's Friday night, let's hit the floor- I'm going crazy! 'Cause sitting home when I'm alone is doing nothing for me! Just because the thrill catches my breath doesn't mean I'm done with you yet! It heats up like a fire in the room, burnin' bass, beats, harmony too... Can't you hear the sound that draws you near? Throwin' down- party of the year! It's time to step it up- Kick the volume high! This is our one and only chance of a lifetime...! Pa-pa-pa-party-junkie!... Chance of a lifetime! Don't you wanna get high? Don't wanna say goodbye? Just stay with me tonight, don't need commitment- Do me right! Tell me why you're so shy? You're just my kind of guy that likes their beats hard-style- So work it for me! Please kiss and hold me tight, and move your body right, and I don't wanna cry, 'cause talk is cheap- Let's go all night! Keep on dancing! Put your hands up, don't stop movin' buddy! You know that all bad girls want a party-junkie!... Pa-pa-pa-party-junkie!... Pa-pa-pa-party!..."

It wasn't really appropriate... But I'd been itching to sing _Party Junkie_ forever!

Suddenly I heard the soft scuffling.

Crud.

My head snapped down.

I'd somehow worked my way around the tree, so I was just a branch above where I'd met Mello.

"You...!" I yelled, jumping up and pointing.

"Wow, you haven't gone in yet?"

"I'm not talking to you!" I snapped, my voice squeaking just a tiny bit as I jumped down past him. I felt him and his room-mate watch me the whole way down.

When I finally reached Near and I's room, I was a little surprised to see he was still playing with his toys. Gulping a little, I retreated to my corner. "Oh, so that's where you went." I breathed, picking up my sketch-book and putting it in my back-pack.

"I'm told you spent the day in a tree."

"Uh... I was... s-scared..." I muttered, turning to face him.

He was looking me over. I began casting about like I had when I was talking with Mello.

"You aren't really here to replace L, are you?"

Gulp. "I... I don't know... I'm b-below average, have tr-trouble talking to people... I-I hon-honestly do-don't see how... either..." I told him honestly, crouching down and wrapping my arms around my knees.

Nuts, he was still staring at me. "Are you even an orphan?"

"N-no... but my parents... they're always... al-always in jail... I-I grew up all on my own, taking c-care of myself..." I whispered. I guess he heard me, because he nodded and went back to playing with his toys. Then a question popped into my head. "Uh..."

"What?"

He was very sharp, very blunt about things, wasn't he...? "Wh-who's Mello?"

He stopped, and began staring at me again. "Why?"

"Uh... He ki-kinda climbed in-into the tr-tree with me... He k-kept on laughing and t-teasing me... And he called you some names."

"Well, that's to be expected. Mello lets his emotions get in the way of things, and isn't all that bright either."

Apparently the two weren't on good terms with each other, so- Waitaminute...!

"Hey, are you saying I'm not smart?!" I demanded.

"You yourself said that you're below average."

"Dammit, just when I thought I caught you making fun of me..."

"Do you want me to?"

"Hell no! Lemme be!"

But as I curled up in my corner and drifted off to sleep, I heard him chuckling.


	3. The Accident

**Kitty\Kitkat**

I sighed, uncurling.

Felling my foot brush up against something, I suddenly recurled. I'm not one to forget where I am when I fall asleep, so I kinda guessed that it was one of Near's toys.

And I wasn't too eager to knock a bunch of his stuff over and make him mad...

... Could he even get mad...? So far he'd seemed pretty stoic... Hmm...

No, I wasn't gonna test it.

Groaning, I uncurled again, slower, and carefully...

And with a clatter, I knocked over the same thing I'd tried not to.

"Oops. Sorry..." I mumbled, setting it up.

"Actually, that fell over a while ago and rolled over there."

Y-you... You gotta be kiddin' me... I'd spent so long trying not to knock down something that'd already been knocked over...?!

"Okay, where do you want it then?" I sighed, picking it up.

"Just leave it over there. I'll get it later."

"No, tell me! I can do it without knocking anything over!" I objected, standing up.

"Can you?"

Ouch. My face colored a bit as I nodded stubbornly.

"Then please bring it here."

Hmm... He'd just challenged me. He had a small fortress set up around himself... One wrong move would knock it all over and set my career as a klutz in concrete for all eternity.

I looked at the floor, analyzing where to step, where not to put my feet, and other things like that. I tucked my long belt in so it wouldn't knock into anything and set out. High step here... Skirt that... Small leap over that... Hop twice to avoid smacking into the little Godzilla-thing there... Spinning step so's to avoid that little army there... And... "Here ya go!" I grinned, handing him the toy.

He took it wordlessly. I didn't object to the lack of response, instead turning to figure out how to get back...

When I finally got out of the toy-maze, I decided to go back to my tree. There were branches out of Mello's reach...

... I hoped.

Keeping my head bowed, I moved slowly through the halls. People stopped and stared, and a few gigled as I passed. I felt my face flush as I went outside.

"Hello."

Ack, it was Mr. Chitchat. I ignored him and kept walking. But he followed me.

Great...

I stopped, looking back at him. He looked innocently back, a hint of a smirk touching his lips. I narrowed my eyes... People were watching... So I couldn't clock 'im...

... However...

I started to run. From the pounding behind me, he was coming after me. Growling, I decided, however early it was, to use my last resort.

Time to stop, have him crash into me, then get up and keep running.

However, it'd be better if I did that in a less populated area... Maybe outside...?

That'd work!

I skidded around a corner...

... And crashed into someone.

"Gack!" "Eek!"

Loathe as I am to say it, we both fell down... It was him on bottom, me on top...

... And our lips were somehow connected.

There was shocked silence, including from Mello, whose shadow was blocking a lot of our light... Dammit, just when I hoped nothing embarrassing would happen...!

We pulled apart, him scooting back and away, me practically jumping onto Mello. "Yuck! Your lips taste like nicotine!" I gasped, wiping my mouth on my arm. He spat something back, but I couldn't make it out over both of our gagging and almost everyone else laughing.

"That was real smooth. Did you plan it?" Mello asked icily.

"Gosh, I'm sorry, is Smokey here yours? Gee, why don't you two head to the bedroom and I'll go hide in my tree!" I snapped, storming off, my face looking like a beet's cousin again.

But I guess I'd pushed it too hard...

... Because he tackled me.

"Ack! What the hell?! Geddoffa me!" I yelled, kicking him. He snarled, and I hissed back. As I got a fist in the eye, I put a nice shot into his nose. "Get the fuck off!" I yelled, shoving my feet into his gut. In response, I got another faceful of fist.

People were greatly amused. I guess they didn't see too many physical fights, mostly verbal ones... Well, Happy Birthday, peoples...

Eventually, Roger came and pulled us apart. Kill-joy.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"He started it!" I snapped, pointing to Mello.

"You're the one who called me gay!"

"I never said that, stupid!"

"You implied it!"

"Did not!"

"Liar! You suggested that Matt and I 'head to the bedroom,' implying that I'm gay!"

"That's not what it meant, now piss off!"

Roger was trying to interrupt, but he was doing a lousy job of it. The only thing he was really doing was keeping Mello and I far enough apart that we couldn't knock each other's lights out.

**Matt**

He honestly hadn't seen her coming.

She'd torn around the corner like a speeding bull and hit him head-on.

True, he hadn't liked the comment about his smoking, but that didn't mean she was bad.

Yes, she had said something that implied he and Mello were gay, but she had been mad.

She was the one who'd techincally started the fight when she fought back... But when he looked at it from her perspective, yes, Mello had started it by attacking her.

She was different, like Mello had said. There was just something about her...

"You bitch! I hope you die all alone with no one to mourn for you or care!" Mello yelled.

Silence.

Kitkat was trembling, her breath rattling in and out as she clenched and unclenched her fists, whimpering a little. Everyone was waiting for her reaction, even Roger.

But she didn't do anything. Instead, she spun around and ran away, tears suddenly pouring down her cheeks.

"I think you pushed it too far there..." he whispered.

Roger pulled Mello aside for a little talk, everyone began getting together to gossip, and he got up to go after the crying cat-girl.

**Kitty\Kitkat**

"D-damn him... damn him to hell!" I sobbed.

I wasn't in the usual tree. He was like a fucking magnet, and I always wound up outside his window. Instead I was in a smaller one near the wall that marked the boundaries. It was much smaller, easier to climb up and down.

He'd gone to the no-no place.

It was true. When I died, I would be all alone. No one would mourn. Nobody would care. My parents were too big of jerks to care, and they were always in jail. I didn't have any other family-members I knew of. No friends. The closest thing I've ever had to a friend was the cop I met a long time ago, when I was little.

_"Are you lost?"_

_"No..."_

_"Where're your parents?"_

_"M-mom's in jail... Dad's at home d-drunk..."_

_"Oh... They aren't very good parents, then?"_

_"That's right..."_

_"I'm sorry..."_

He'd sat with me for at least an hour, talking to me, making me feel better. Then he'd taken me out for ice cream, and after that he'd taken me home. I sobbed harder when I remembered that.

"'S not fair... Damn you, Mello... I hope you die a violent, grotesque death that hurts in every possible way it shouldn't..."

"You really shouldn't say that... Uff, how the hell do you climb so easily...?"

I jumped up a branch when I heard the voice. Looking down, I saw it was Matt, the guy I'd bumped into. "Go away." I said, turning away from him and hopping up another branch.

"Please don't climb where I can't reach you..."

"Why not? You're just here to poke fun at me, like your friend."

"No, I'm not."

He came to rest, panting, on the branch directly below mine. He must've been really out of shape... Probably from being a smoker.

"Mello didn't really mean that... He just get's mad easily. Don't look at me like that, but it's true. He especially isn't all that fond of Near, and if you bring him up around Mello, like say good stuff about him, he's liable to explode. Since you room with Near... I dunno, maybe it's just that you can learn how to beat him."

"B-beat...?"

"Yeah. Near's the first most liekly guy to replace L. Mello's second. I'm third."

Oh... Now I knew why I was brought in. I'm the horse that's trained to lose, to make others feel better and more confident.

Well, gee, I fell a helluva ton better!

"That's kinda stupid." I said.

"Huh?"

"Trying to compete to beat L. Stupid stupid stupid. Just work together and you'd instantly be better than him. Three totally different minds all working together, that's three different angles to look at something from, three times as many contacts, three times as likely to solve things in a shorter time."

"Hm... Well, that's food for thought..."

"And I'm not gonna excuse Mello. He hit the bad spot. I am gonna die all alone and the world will never notice, only the maggots that'll infest my rotting corpse."

"Hey! Don't talk like that! And that's a very disturbing image!"

"Why not?! It's true, dammit!" I snapped, jumping up another branch.

"Please don't..."

"Why not?!"

"... For one thing..."

He was embarrassed... Why the hell was he embarrassed?

"... I honestly don't know how I'm gonna get down."

"I thought I was the cat here."


	4. Vanishing Act

**Mello**

"Where the heck is Matt...?" he growled, pacing back and forth.

It wasn't his fault! So why was he the one in trouble?!

... Okay, that last thing had really hurt her...

But Kitkat had started it all, not him! It was her fault, not his!

"Thanks, I guess... Sure you won't forgive him?"

That was Matt's voice! He bounded over to the door, flinging it open. Matt looked up in shock, and Kitkat glared.

"Never. Not 'til the day I die." she said, walking away.

"Why were you with her?!" he demanded.

"Trying to apologize for you. But she isn't caving." Matt replied, moving into the room.

"I don't need to apologize for anything!" he snapped.

"You kinda do. Remember your snide comment about how you hoped she'd die all alone? She claims that it's true, and the only ones who'd notice would be the maggots that would infest her rotting corpse... Ick, that image is still disturbing."

What...? No, he was still mad!

"But she still started it, so I don't need to apologize for anything!"

"She's got some good ideas though."

"Huh? What now?"

Matt looked at him. "She says we're fools for competing in order to beat L. Maybe she's right. Three times the knowledge, the contacts, and the time in which to solve the case would be a third of what L could do... Maybe."

"I'm... not following you..." he said in confusion, almost instantly losing his angry streak.

"Kitkat says that if we really want to be better than L, then team-work is the key. She says that you, Near and I should work together, that L kinda lacks team-work, so with it, we'd be better than him."

"That's stupid! And it'll never happen!" he yelled.

"Well, back to why I was with her... When I was trying to say sorry for you, I had to climb into a tree after her, and then I couldn't get down. She had to help me."

"Couldn't settle for kissing her, could you? Had to try and get a date?" he growled.

"Hey, she's a nice girl, and it's not like we tried to bump into each other like that! It's your fault for chasing her!" Matt snapped back, turning away from him.

**Kitty\Kitkat**

Near looked up as I entered the room, but didn't speak.

Good. I wasn't in the mood for talk...

... Unless, I guess, it was with Matt.

It was hard to stutter around him. He was friendly, open. Not like Mello, Near, or anyone else here. I guess it was the way he'd tried to say sorry for something that someone else had done.

That was something I would do. Maybe that was it.

"You enjoy getting yourself into messes, don't you?"

I looked up. "Whaddya talkin' about?"

"Your slip with Matt. The fight."

My eyes narrowed. "I'm tired of being a punching-bag, so please... shut up about it." I said softly, pulling my knees up to my chest.

For a minute or so, we just stared at each other... But he had a stronger reslove, because I looked away first. "J-just please... don't provoke m-me..." I muttered.

"What exactly happened? Details are a little sketchy."

I sighed. He clearly wasn't going to leave me be until I told him. "I wa-was just going to explore wh-when Mello started to f-follow me... I-I started to run, t-trying to lo-lose him... And I cr-crashed into Matt when I-I was going around a cor-corner... Mello sta-stared acting unfriendly, so-so I said something that wasn't very nice... And-and he attacked me... I fought back, bu-but then Roger separated us, so-so we were left yelling insults... Mello said something that wa-wasn't... I-it hurt a lot, and I ra-ran away..." I said softly.

"I see... So now you and Mello aren't on the best of terms."

Was he... smiling?!

I turned around so I was facing the corner. I just needed some quiet-time right now... Maybe later I'd go outside and sing or something...

But now my wounds needed to heal a little bit.

**Mello**

He was still fuming about earlier... And to make matters worse, he and Matt had gotten into a fight.

It was all Kitkat's fault. Things had been fine before she'd come here!

He leant his head against the window, staring out at the silver-washed grass.

Someone was out there!

He squinted, trying to make out who it was that was sitting out there on the ground.

Kitkat.

Okay, he was almost madder now. But maybe he could wrap things up...?

"Matt!" he ordered, grabbing the red-head. "C'mon, we're gonna go see Kitkat!"

"What?! But she's probably asleep right now-"

"No, she isn't, she's outside."

They eventually got outside, and he pointed to the girl as she stood up. "See?"

"What's she doing?" Matt wondered.

"I dunno... Let's go see."

He started dragging Matt after him as he approached the young girl.

"Wait...! Listen!" the chain-smoker said suddenly. "She's singing again!"

So she was...

"Deep in the forest, far, far in the back that way, there is a circus. The chairman with big eyes and ten meters tall, all of the cast is jolly, their forms are rather strange, but it's so fun! The Dark Woods Circus! The one with two heads... a deformed diva... a blue beast that loves to eat things cold... Does anyone wish that I were alive, so undesirable I am in this body? Why do you look at me like that? This face that is rotting, it's painful, it's painful and it can't be helped. She said it, but still we continue this circus... It's so fun! So fun! This circus is so fun! Rotten fruit to dissolve my eyes, my skin festers, reflected on my eyes, I want to die, want to die, get me out of here please! It's impossible for anyone to say and feel..."

That was a creepy song, and the way she'd changed her voice to match each part...

He almost stopped, but Matt was here... He couldn't wuss out now!

He kept coming, and soon he was within arm's reach of her...

"Don't touch me." she said stiffly, turning her head slightly to glare at him.

"Why the hell are you out here so late? What're you trying to do?" he snapped.

She turned around, pointing beyond him. "I was going to run."

She was pointing to the wall.

"Don't be ridiculous!" he snorted.

"She could easily get over... And I bet she could live on her own..." Matt said thoughtfully.

"I could. I've lived al-alone my whole damn life, I-I'll do it to my death-d-day..." Kitkat said huffily, walking past them, towards the wall.

"Not so fast!" he ordered, darting in front of her.

"Why not?! I was brought in to make other kids feel better, even if they don't become L! You think I want to stay here and be walked on my whole damn existance?!"

He almost recoiled. She was about to cry, and her voice had done the weird squeaking thing again... But how did he reply to that?

"Good answer. Now get outta my way."

He didn't stop her as she pushed past...

... But Matt did.

"Please don't go. You'll be all alone... for real. Here you at least have Mello and I."

She laughed, a harsh, dry laugh. "Sure... I've got Mello. Near doesn't ever talk to me and I'm closer to him than I am Mello."

Ouch...

"Fine, you have Near and I... But please don't go. I want to be your friend, but how can I do that if you leave?"

"You don't. And I'll survive. Don't treat me like a baby."

And with that, she was gone. Matt didn't try to stop her. He didn't move.

Just like that, Kitkat was gone...

... He'd won. But it didn't feel like a victory...


	5. Tattle-tale (Super Short Chapter)

**Kitty\Kitkat**

I could hardly believe it.

I didn't think it would be so easy to get out, and was surprised others hadn't run away as well!

But I stayed there, crouched next to the wall. Could I really leave like this? Where would I go?

Sighing, I crouched down and buried my head in my arms. Couldn't go home... No real home to go to...

Well, I could go back to that husk of a house I called a domicile.

No.

I whimpered a little.

"Why is life so unfair...?" I mumbled into my elbow.

**Mello**

"She just left?"

"Y-yeah... She just up and jumped over the wall." he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. He honestly didn't know if he was doing the right thing in telling on Kitkat, but she said she didn't have a home. Where in the world would she go?

"Hmm..."

He swallowed nervously.

"How long ago was this?"

"She left last night. She yelled at me and Matt when we tried to stop her, but then she just jumped over the wall and left." he said.

"I see. Thank you, Mello."


End file.
